1932 is recorded in automotive history as a watershed year for style and innovation. There must have been something in the air because virtually every car maker debuted one-year-only designs that simply knocked the socks off of everything that had been and most of what was to be. But for Ford in particular, '32 would be cemented not just in their history, but in popular culture.

Having fully modernized from the tired Model T to the new Model A in 1928, the Blue Oval was ready to take the next great leap into the future with the introduction of a powerful, affordable, and reliable V-8 for the masses. Previously available only in the likes of Lincolns and Cadillacs, the V-8 powered Ford Model 18 would give the everyman the ability to wield the power of eight. And with the introduction of the innovative new motor came a completely restyled vehicle. The flat front end of the '31 Model A would give way to the elegantly rounded, upright rectangular grill. The various body styles, from 3- and 5-window Tudor coupes, to Fordor sedans to sporty roadsters would all be crafted in a carefully sculpted design.

The new style and drivetrain would prove to be very successful and lead Ford through to the beginning of WWII.

The Motorcar Offered

Following WWII the '32 Ford really came into its own. Cheap, plentiful, beautiful, and easily made to go fast, the 'Deuce', as it was called, became a favorite of '50s hot rodders and a fixture of the era as shown in movies like Grease and American Graffiti. As the story goes with this Deuce, it was hot-rodded in the 1950s and then left disused in a barn until being rediscovered about a decade ago. Old photos of the car show it with the clean, fender-less design it has today and the Offy-headed flathead V-8 still under the hood.

Since discovery the 'rod has been extensively restored. As was popular in the 1950s, the original V-8 60 has been replaced with a more powerful 239ci V-8 from a post-WWII Mercury. This engine, shown in the as-discovered photos, has been bored and balanced. Internally the mill has been fortified with newer Jahn pistons, bearings and rings, a Schneider new-old-stock cam with a more aggressive lift profile, and Johnson adjustable solid lifters. Topping it all off are a pair of Offenhauser heads and intake with a trifecta of Stromberg 97s to let the whole thing breathe. For ease of use, the electronics have been updated to 12 volts.

The body is a genuine '32 but the door handles and side curtain mounts have been shaved. Channeled slightly onto the frame, this elegantly presented and classically proportioned hot rod is cleanly finished in Washington Blue paint. Inside, the original banjo steering wheel, locking ignition switch, long-throw shifter and dash are present with Stewart-Warner gauges in place of the standard fare. Topping it all off is the original top, nicely finished with its beautifully polished wood bows.

Driven about 1200 miles since completion, this hot rod is built to both show and go. Retaining the elegant simplicity of its original 1950s modifications and the correct mill for the period, it would be equally welcome on the show field or at a cruise-in.Without reserve

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